A stroke can cause irreversible brain damage, long-term disability, and even death. Neuralert Technologies, a spin-out from the University of Pennsylvania, has recently announced that they have reached Minimum Viable Product (MVP) level for their compact, lightweight, non-invasive wristband gadget that facilitates stroke monitoring and alerting.
A delay in detecting a stroke reduces the chances of getting immediate treatment, which in turn leads to poorer outcomes. Since many hospital patients are bedridden and/or under the influence of medication, spotting the stroke symptoms can be challenging for the staff. Moreover, caregivers can’t check on patients frequently enough to ensure that a stroke will be detected in time for treatment.
Asymmetrical arm movement is one of the characteristic indications of stroke; others include stiffness, neglect, or decreased movement on one side. Even if the user is asleep, Neuralert’s technology can identify the onset of asymmetric movement in about 15 minutes. The stroke detection gadgets eliminate the need for time-consuming baseline development, considerably speeding up stroke diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, potentially saving lives.
Neuralert actively monitors for stroke and delivers an alert to medical personnel in real-time, resulting in a quicker stroke detection process than current manual approaches. This novel wearable device works in tandem with its patented algorithm and alerting software for stroke detection, data processing, and alerting healthcare workers.
Improved stroke detection time will likely save lives, improve overall results, and lower healthcare bills. This new technology cannot differentiate between an ischemic and a hemorrhagic stroke, which is crucial before deciding on a course of treatment. But earlier alerts to the problem will give healthcare professionals more time to make the correct diagnosis and start appropriate treatment.
